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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27221011">Four They Were</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slynx/pseuds/Slynx'>Slynx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Overwatch (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Halloween Shenanigans, M/M, Overwatch Family, corn maze, reapbeans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:16:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,718</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27221011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slynx/pseuds/Slynx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Halloween on Gibraltar. Four paths converge. The result? Pure chaos.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jean-Baptiste Augustin/Mauga, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Sigma | Siebren de Kuiper/Reinhardt Wilhelm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Overwatch Fall Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Four They Were</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Papallion/gifts">Papallion</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Overwatch Fall Exchange!</p>
<p>At first, the pick was one<br/>But Junkrat could not be outdone.<br/>So I settled on more<br/>And brought life to all four.<br/>I hope I've created something you'll adore!</p>
<p>The prompts:<br/>1. Mauga is after Baptiste, who has led him to a cornfield, which becomes a maze, which becomes a hay rack ride, which becomes stargazing - tonight they just get to be two lovers again<br/>2. Siebren and Reinhardt just want a nice date, picking apples, enjoying the changing season, and drinking craft beers, but they keep getting interrupted. Siebren has to take things into his own gravity-resisting hands to secure a nice dinner for them.<br/>3. Jack wanders the corn fields with his shot gun, keeping and eye out for The Pumpkin King. Each year the King rises and causes blight and meyhem, and as a Morrison, it's up to Jack to put him to rest again.<br/>4. Junkrat loves clowns. He's the only one on The Rock that does, however. Reaperbeans are real and they WILL do their best to devour you. Good thing they're so small and don't have mouths...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>History of the Jack-o'-Lantern<br/>
'The Dublin Penny Journal'. J.S. Folds, 1835.</p>
<p>
  <em>Our story draws near its close- Jack, with all his skill, could not baffle the assault of Death. He paid the debt of nature; but when his soul was dismissed to its final residence, the porter at the gate of the infernal regions stoutly denied him admittance- the fiends turned pale with affright- and even Satan himself fled within the lowest depths to hide his head from the dreaded enemy. Then, because he was unfit for heaven, and that hell refused to take him, he was decreed to walk the earth with a lantern to light him on his nightly way till the day of judgement. Such, reader, is the legend relative to Jack-o'-the-Lantern, commonly believed by the peasantry in many districts of Ireland.</em>
</p>
<p>Corn stalks in various states of decay fluttered carelessly behind the ghoulish figure, arms spread wide as the masked, near-carved face glowed ominously with each word, cape barely brushing the grass-laden ground.</p>
<p>"Stingy Jack still roams the lands to this day, turnip lantern in hand. His path may lead to despair or salvation. It is, in the end, your choice whether to follow him. But beware," Ana Amari's distorted voice kept every child's gaze on her, their eyes wide with delight and terror. "The darkness may hold a worse fate to those left behind."</p>
<p>As if on cue, a shadow appeared at the mouth of the corn, turnip lantern raised high and golden, glowing eyes regarding the suddenly less-confident crowd of Gibraltar youth. A plastic white mask hid his face, torn shirt and leather gear hanging loose from the stocky frame while an ax, a slight chip in its blade, hung from a loop of the well-used belt. He waited but a moment, staring them down wordlessly before trudging back into the maze, heavy boots silent despite the debris lining the path in a quiet that unnerved even the most experienced of maze-goers.</p>
<p>"Go now." The ghoul pointed to the path, light growing dimmer as the figure moved further in. Her mask seemed to glow in delight. "Jack waits for no one. I suggest you move quickly if you are to catch up with him, lest the Pumpkin King find you instead."</p>
<p>There was a frozen panic, followed by a mad dash to get into the maze, children of every age (and yes, even adults) clamoring to get back under the lantern's light. Ana waited until the last of the group had cleared the stalks to let out a chuckle, removing her mask for just a moment to get a breath of sweet, fresh air.</p>
<p>It truly was a beautiful evening. Despite fall refusing to come to Gibraltar in the traditional way, Overwatch had brought Halloween to the peninsula just the same. They'd struggled for the first few years to find the right mix of trick and treat, opting to simply hand out candy at first to those willing to come out to the Watchpoint on the 31st, but it became abundantly clear that few were willing to make that trek.</p>
<p>However, once Gabriel had returned, the Halloween festivities had immediately sprung forth as if from a bottle freed from its cork. Perhaps he'd been banned from certain activities due to his time with Talon and Blackwatch, per the powers above that be, but his actions against the terrorist organization had been enough to spare the man from imprisonment. Thus, he'd settled into Gibraltar- and brought the old Overwatch Halloween wars back with him. </p>
<p>Winston had been perturbed, to say the least, when asked whether a corn maze was possible. The thought of growing food non-native to the environment for no other reason than entertainment seemed to leave a sour taste in the scientist's mouth…until a certain former farm-dwelling resident of Indiana had reminded Winston of all that could be done with a surplus of corn. Thus, reluctantly, Winston had set up a massive Eco Greenhouse on the far side of the base while Jack Morrison used a bit of his old charm with the local government to grant them permits to sell some of the produce at a Halloween festival the likes of which the residents had never seen. </p>
<p>Despite his denial of such a thing, Jack really could out-charm the best politicians and pull strings that many could not, Ana mused as she pulled her mask back into place. It had made him an excellent Strike Commander back in the day. Less than a year following the placations, the haunted corn maze had become the centerpiece of Overwatch's Halloween bonanza. Several food stalls were set up, everything from grilled corn to caramel apples offered as vittles as haystack rides and cider samplings lured in even those not interested in the usual festivities. It had become such a hit that people were known to travel to Gibraltar for the last week of October just to experience the frivolity and joy…as well as the chaos that hit every Halloween evening before midnight.</p>
<p>When Gabriel had first suggested the competition, on par from times past, Winston had been completely against it. But from the moment Jack's eyes lit up, Ana had known that the scientist, whether he knew it or not, was completely outnumbered. And so it was that every Halloween, the maze would open…and by the end of the night, it would either still be standing as a testament to its defenders or utterly destroyed under the Pumpkin King's wrath. Multiple eyes, both electronic and not, kept all maze-goers safe- but the corn stalks were rarely so lucky. Gabriel's strategies changed from year to year, ranging from stealth attacks to outright warfare. In all honesty, the antics were the most amusing part of the entire evening…especially when Jack managed to pull the wool over Gabriel's eyes. This year would certainly prove to be an interesting one, as Ana knew what the former black ops commander was up to for once. If Jack could find a way to combat this year's tomfoolery, she would be quite impressed.</p>
<p>As promised, she had not breathed a word to any of the other Overwatch members currently assisting. Poor devils, Ana silently mused with a grin, watching as Baptiste guided the next group in for the tale of Jack. They had no idea what was about to hit them. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>As a combat medic, strictly speaking, these kind of events had every possibility of turning into a nightmare scenario. However, given the birds-eye view of those still at headquarters (thank goodness for Winston- that man, er, gorilla was a saint) and the extra care taken by every person participating, it had gone remarkably well so far. Plastic vampire teeth digging into his gums, Baptiste guided the last of the new group (couldn't go over a dozen per regs) and pushed his tongue into the fake canines to relieve a bit of the pressure. He really should have figured out a better costume, but he hadn't exactly known he'd be at this event until a few weeks prior. After some strings pulled by an old friend (Sombra really was an angel when she wanted to be), the costume had arrived in the mail the day before Halloween, so well-sized it was if it had been made specifically for him. Except the teeth. Kou lan guet! This was really going to bother him if he couldn't get rid of- of-</p>
<p>As the evening sky began to darken and color, rose gold painted over the stalls and the costumed children running amok…and out of the dusk, a figure appeared at the front of the next group that sent static shock up Baptiste's spine. Only one person had jet-black hair as thick and wavy as the ocean with that white streak from forehead to the middle of the back, sculpted features head-and-shoulders above anyone else nearby-</p>
<p>Eyes locked onto his and Baptiste's lungs suddenly forgot how to function. How had Mauga found him?! How had-</p>
<p>There was no further time to think on it, as his old Talon associate was suddenly charging towards him. Baptiste stared him down for approximately 1.2 seconds before looking at Captain Amari, who seemed remarkably nonplussed by the giant Samoan man headed their way, and realized that there was a perfectly reasonable way to fix this. Without a second thought, Baptiste bolted into the maze, the thudding of Mauga's footsteps not far behind. He just had to find his way through the maze and lose his tail inside. How hard could that be?</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Ebony mist and gravelly laughter followed the first few sets of shrieking and laughing patrons of the maze, not yet giving away any intel just yet, but it was really just a matter of time. Jack held the glowing turnip high, free hand not far from the specialty shotgun he'd asked for from Torbjörn, who was all too happy to create a weapon with non-lethal rounds strong enough to knock their former Omnic Crisis Commander back on his ass. From what Torb had said, the ammunition utilized bits and pieces from Winston's Tesla Cannon, turning the gun into, in the Swede's words, "an upgraded taser for assholes who won't stay down". </p>
<p>The sky was finally beginning to turn color, a light wind rustling the corn stalks as he led the group towards the exit. Nothing so far. It was too quiet. Too damn quiet. Where was- </p>
<p>"Things are looking…grim." Shifting out from the maze walls, smoke coalesced into leather and glowing pumpkin grin, a gleaming scythe held menacingly across the strapped chest. An audible gasp rippled through the maze-goers and the corn stalks, all but Jack and the newcomer backing away from the lantern's light. Dark tendrils reached out and swirled up and around the carved turnip, seeming to prod at the flames momentarily as if curious just how easily the wick could be extinguished.</p>
<p>-Reyes. Speak of the devil. Literally.<br/>
"You're on your own." Jack growled to the group, taking off in a dead sprint towards the Pumpkin King who was suddenly two more shadow lengths ahead, shotgun in hand as he hooked the turnip onto his belt. <em>Finally!</em> What was he up to this year? He could hear the yells from behind of the children left in the dark, a sound that would have once dismayed him if not for Winston's careful eye on the whole maze. Sometimes, Jack wished the scientist could give him a heads-up to Reyes's position…but, in the end, that felt like cheating.</p>
<p>Fortunately, for all the 'powers' Reyes had been gifted with, Jack was still as fast as ever. If not for a quick shift of smoke, the shotgun rounds would have hit their mark, instead singeing the stalks with sparkling electricity. "You can't run forever!"</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"Funny." Gabriel drawled, hefting the scythe in both hands. "That's my line." </p>
<p>Though it had taken several months (and a bit of help from Ana and Sombra), the surveillance system in his pumpkin head was finally working beautifully. By scouting out the fields for the first few rounds, he'd been able to designate Overwatch targets, which ensured that he could keep track of any non-combatants and allowed him to wreak havoc on those daring to work the maze. Ana's sniper training and experience with her old cybernetic eye had been invaluable- and tonight, that wisdom was being put to good use.</p>
<p>Now, it was time for Phase 2. With a quick scan confirming the empty portions of the maze surrounding them, Gabriel leapt backwards and spun in place, scythe twirling. The stalks on all sides were leveled as if butter to a hot knife, pieces flying up in a whirlwind that distracted his Halloween foe just long enough.</p>
<p>Every maze had a center and, sometimes (as this one was), that center was a dead end. However, all of the paths surrounding that center led off in different directions. All <em>he</em> needed was to open a way into all of the paths- which was easily accomplished with the help of his scythe- for the next part of his plan to begin. </p>
<p>"Perhaps you can stop one of me, Jackie-" Gabriel grinned through the swirl of broken stalks. "But I doubt you know what you're in for tonight!" With a swirl of smoke and a loud cackle, the former Reaper teleported away, leaving destruction in his wake.</p>
<p>Sure enough, Jack spotted his figure down one row and took chase, Gabriel gleefully leading him further away from the site of destruction. This new ability he'd been working on would do better without outside intervention, after all. </p>
<p>…Moments after the thudding footsteps had faded, the debris shifted. Little by little, vegetation was pushed aside and dozens of tiny heads emerged, peering up at the remains of the maze walls with jet-black eyes. Destroy. They knew only that they must destroy as much of this odd material as possible. De-construct. Devour. D-die. <em>Die, die, die!</em></p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Sure, perhaps a clown didn't quite fit the aesthetic of this whole spooky, fall fling-thing going on. But was that going to stop him? HA! No one could make Jamison Fawkes do anything he didn't feel like doing!</p>
<p>…Except patrol a stupid maze and watch that the ruddy kids didn't go off and do anything stupid. Junkrat huffed, recently-dyed blue hair ruffling in the Gibraltan breeze. Yeah, okay, he'd been planning to blow a piece of the maze. Just a piece! But nooooo, <em>somebody might get hurt</em>. Spoilsports. And now here he was, in the best clown costume EVER, in a maze where barely anybody was gonna see him. </p>
<p>Even Roadie had given him a stern look. That had really been the straw to break the camel's back. If Roadie was disappointed, then…maybe he deserved to be out here in this stupid maze. Alone. …Ugh.</p>
<p>A few stragglers were headed his way, a smile breaking out over the painted face. At least he had this. After all, the most fun ones to scare were the ones who didn't expect to BE scared. Given that these were teenagers-? Fair play.</p>
<p>"Oy, kiddos!" Junkrat bounced into view, purple- and white-striped pants billowing as he reached up, squeezing the neon-violet plastic nose he'd glued onto his face. A hauntingly drawn out <em>'squeeeeeeak'</em> filled the air, the kids stopping dead in their tracks at the sound and sight. Jamison grinned widely. "Fancy meetin' you lot here in the DARK. You loooooooost?"</p>
<p>…Oooo! New record! Three point eight seconds this time, he noted with a snigger as the group fled into the night with screams for days. Now, if he could get them to stare for over five seconds next time, that'd make it all that much better-</p>
<p>
  <em>'Squeak!'</em>
</p>
<p>Jamison stopped, blinked, and turned. That hadn't been his nose- too short for one- and yet the sound was so-</p>
<p>
  <em>'Squeak! SQUEAK!'</em>
</p>
<p>Huh?!</p>
<p>…What in the heck was THAT thing?</p>
<p>From the corn stalks, a blob shivered its way out and plopped onto the ground, rolling once before seeming to right itself. Really, there wasn’t quite a way of knowing which way WAS up for the little roly-poly. It all just seemed…rather shapeless. Maybe…almost kinda cute?</p>
<p>Jamison stared for a moment (maybe two) before finally taking a step closer. No sooner had his peg leg hit the dirt, the blob jumped and turned. A little white mask with big, round eyes gawked up at him.</p>
<p><em>'SQUEAK!'</em> The sound came from the little guy's uh…mouth? It didn't seem much like a mouth but if it could make vocalizations-</p>
<p>Whoa now Jamison, he scolded himself. This was just what Lindholm had gotten all scream-y about a few weeks ago. Too interested in the science, too unconcerned with the dangers it might hold. Gotta analyze the situation. Little blob had come outta nowhere, but they seemed to be alone. The design on the face looked familiar but Junkrat couldn't quite place it. Hmmm….</p>
<p>"Where'd you come from, huh?" Carefully, Jamison managed to get closer. The blob shuddered more and more as he closed in, as if it were- oh.</p>
<p>"Hey! It's okay! See, nothing to be scared of." Sure, he might be the only one on this rock to like clowns, but that didn't mean he liked seeing little innocent things running off screaming ALL the time from his appearance. Extending a single finger out to the blob from his mechanical hand, Jamison gently ran the pad of the metal over the top of the spherical head, petting as softly as he could. Cuz really, it felt like one poke was all it would take to burst this little guy like a water balloon.</p>
<p>The moment the roly-poly stopped shivering, something began to warm in Junkrat's chest. Aw. A smile crept up his face. "You're…kinda adorable." He admitted aloud, chuckling as the blob squeaked again, pressing up to his finger in a bid to steal more of his touch. Jamison obliged, brushing down the rounded back and up again. "Now, where did you come fro-m-"</p>
<p>It was then that Junkrat realized quite quickly that something was amiss. In a perfect circle around him, more of the blobs sat silently, staring up at him in eerie quiet, almost indistinguishable from the dirt below them but for those little white colorations on their…faces?</p>
<p>Had the first one been running from the rest? Had they been picking on him? Why- where- how-</p>
<p>
  <em>'Squeak?'</em>
</p>
<p>Uh. First blob was now chewing on his finger, but…seeing as it had no teeth, it seemed to just be gumming on the digit. Jamison couldn't help a snort and a chuckle. Geez. These things were harmless, if a little spooky at first. But honestly, the poor little guys were probably just lost.</p>
<p>"So, what are you all? You here to join the circus with me?" Junkrat joked.</p>
<p>"Die?"</p>
<p>UH. What- had it just said- which one had said that? The glee faded instantaneously, Jamison's head snapping back and forth as the crowd hopped just a little closer. "Did you just-"</p>
<p>"Die? Die?"</p>
<p>They were saying 'DIE'?! What in the- WAIT. Heyyyyy. Junkrat squinted. <em>That's</em> where he'd seen that pattern before. "Reaper send you out here to do his dirty work, huh?" Were these blobs actually tiny robots or-</p>
<p>The first roly-poly let go of his finger, squeaked, and bounced once. "Die!"</p>
<p>Ah ha! So it WAS Reaper! Which meant they were here to help take down the maze…somehow. The 'how' was the part he just couldn't quite wrap his head around. But if let them take out the corn, he'd be in such deep shit. "I can't just let you all destroy the maze, y'know, as much as I'd like to let ya." </p>
<p>In that moment, the atmosphere shifted from curious to downright lethal, dozens of roly-poly mask eyes narrowing on him. Junkrat blinked. Oh wait. Had he said the wrong thing? Could they really understand him? H-</p>
<p>AH! WHAT THE HELL-</p>
<p>The blobs leapt on him, Jamison stumbling from side to side as he was pelted by the too-smooth bodies and knocked to the ground by the sheer mass. The Reaper-bots (but they didn't feel like metal?) seemed to be trying to smother him, Junkrat shrieking in very real terror for once.</p>
<p>The scream was too distant for anyone else to hear.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"Should we not partake of the craft beer ahead of the maze? I believe it would give us, as you say, some liquid courage." Siebren de Kuiper eyed the corn stalks ahead with trepidation. The concept seemed simple enough. But given recently-attained knowledge of Morrison's and Reyes's battles within, the trip did not quite seem worth the price of entry.</p>
<p>"Ah ha! No, no. We must celebrate conquering the maze!" Reinhardt Wilhelm grinned, prodding with surprisingly-gentle elbow to his companion's side. "Plus, there's no telling how late the maze will be open. Reyes can sometimes get a bit enthusiastic." With any hope, his two old friends would wait to take down the maze until AFTER they made it through. How could one conquer a maze that was no longer a maze, after all?</p>
<p>"Very well. I suppose that is true." If it meant getting to participate in another activity by Reinhardt's side, he could surely partake. This evening had been going so well so far, from the apple-picking (where they had assisted the children with gaining morsel after morsel, both atop Reinhardt's shoulders and in Siebren's arms as he'd floated to the top of the tree) and watching the sky shift color while munching on goodies from the Festival. It was certainly the nicest date he could remember being on, if…perhaps the first he could remember going on. Siebren hummed to himself, smile quirking one side of his mouth. Reinhardt was funny, kind, and…shy. Shockingly shy. But it leant to his attractiveness, certainly, in a manner that struck Siebren right between the ribs. Ever since Overwatch had taken him in, Reinhardt had been by his side as a mentor, a guide, and now…this. They'd grown together over battlefields and quiet, stolen moments that had morphed into uproarious laughter and fondness that only grew with time. </p>
<p>Even Ana had been helping them, the woman giving a small wave as they neared the front and began weaving her story of 'Stingy Jack'. Whereas they were both clueless when it came to organizing such an evening, the former Captain had scheduled the night down to including breaks for beer. It really was so lucky that he had been fortunate enough to join Overwatch when he had, Siebren noted silently- then realized that the story was apparently over. Ah? Ana appeared to be looking to the entrance, but no lantern shone through the maze to greet them.</p>
<p>"It appears that the Pumpkin King has begun his wave of terror. Proceed with caution and beware what lurks in the darkness." Oh, what she wouldn't give to take a look over Winston's cameras! Ana smiled through her mask at Reinhardt and Siebren, the two nearly tall enough to see over the corn stalks but so awkward that they hunched into their near-matching plaid shirts, too busy stealing glances of each other to truly get pulled into the mystique of the maze. Fine by her, honestly. Maybe they'd keep the children from getting lost for once. Ha! They certainly did make a cute couple though. "Be safe in there." She teased them both, tossing a fun-size Snickers at Reinhardt from the plastic pumpkin slung over one arm.</p>
<p>"Gah! You attack me so sweetly!" Reinhardt guffawed, winking her way before entering the maze alongside Siebren. "She is such a dear. Amazing how many battles we have fought in side-by-side over the past five decades and yet, her most dangerous ammunition is candy." He unwrapped the tiny chocolate and managed to break it in two, handing one half over.</p>
<p>"Mm-" the candy was on the edge of too sweet. Just right. Siebren chewed after popping it into his mouth, watching the kids run ahead as the sun set before them, the moon attempting to rise alongside it. "Perhaps she learned it from you. I'm afraid I am not a virologist, so I'm hoping you know- is being sweet contagious?" …Even in the growing dark, he saw the former Crusader's cheeks flush in a giddy smile and felt a twin expression mark his own face. Two teenagers in their seventies. Ha.<br/>
-- </p>
<p>How was Mauga still so hot on his heels?! Baptiste panted, ducking another corner. It felt like he'd been circling in the maze for hours, despite it surely only being a few minutes of time. His costume had held together so far but felt a moment from ripping, the fabric not made for the wear and tear of sprinting through a corn maze in the dark. If he could just get to a spot where the man might not be able to see him-</p>
<p>That was it! With a bend of the knees, the former Talon soldier powered up his boots (thank goodness he'd thought to wear them) and used the stored energy to jump right over the maze wall. There! That ought to put some distance between them now. Baptiste nodded to himself as he landed, regaining his bearings-</p>
<p>A sudden scream right before him sent Baptiste's feet into a stumble, the medic reeling backwards at the sight before him. He'd been so focused on what was behind him that he hadn't even thought to look for threats in front, and now-?!</p>
<p>The figure teetered to and fro, a mass of squirming black and tattered clothing, inhuman and writhing. Another shriek came from the person (?) before him, Baptiste unable to tear his eyes away from the true Halloween horror of the evening. This wasn't Reaper, nor anyone else he could recognize. Could it actually be a-</p>
<p>"BAPTISTE!" A hand settled on the medic's shoulder and yanked him back and…behind a familiar back? Baptiste blinked. What? Mauga not only had found him, but had put himself between the horrific figure and himself as if the man were protecting him? But if that were true, why chase him into the maze? Why- why all of this? </p>
<p>As much as he wanted nothing more than to run while Mauga's back was turned, Baptiste stood his ground. Enemy or not, he was not about to allow anyone to be taken by the…thing before them. For the first time in so long, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Mauga, ready to do battle if necessary. It…felt more like home than he was willing to admit aloud. Plus, what if the kids ran into this thing in the night?! Without as much as a look in the other's direction, Mauga and Baptiste squared up, fists raised and teeth gritted.</p>
<p>Time to end this!</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Several shots came close but never quite landed on Gabriel's cape-covered behind. Torb was going to be disappointed as hell if he couldn't get at least one shot in on Gabe, Jack huffed while reloading. Now, if he could just see where-</p>
<p>THERE! Through the broken stalks on the- on the- oh.</p>
<p>Oh shit.</p>
<p>Jack stopped in place, staring about. Sure, Gabriel had been swinging that scythe of his every time he got too close, but he hadn't realized until now just how much of the corn the Pumpkin King had managed to dislodge. Nearly all of the maze was hip-height at most for several dozen feet, extending in all directions. The outer perimeter seemed mostly intact, for now. This had to end NOW.</p>
<p>Sensing more than seeing a presence to his left, Jack fired blindly and was met with triumph as Gabriel shrieked, tasers catching him in the chest. Ha! Trying to sneak up on him, eh?! Not today!</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>They were everywhere! One was trying to squirm into his mouth, another latched onto an ear and he couldn't see- couldn't see- couldn't pry them off for the life of him and DANGIT, this wasn't funny anymore! Jamison wailed and pulled at the blobs to no avail-</p>
<p>-Only to get hit by an electric shock that seemed to emanate from the blobs themselves. It fried his sanity down to the last ebbs and finally, the string of his temper snapped. Jamison snarled and grabbed a detonator. If he couldn't PULL them off, he'd blast them off! One concussion mine was flung down on autopilot, his foot and peg leg automatically finding the top, and he braced. Good riddance!</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>What? Had the thing just pulled a- was that a-</p>
<p>"Jamison?!" Baptiste finally recognized the color and figure. The leg should have given it away, but Junkrat's form was so inundated by the black goo that he was completely unrecognizable…but for the bomb about to go off below his feet. Thinking fast, he grabbed the crook of Mauga's elbow and pulled, his old companion fortunately following his lead and fleeing around the corner with him just as Jamison's explosive blew the man sky high- literally- along with several bits of the corn maze around him. Had the man been walking around the maze with the explosives still readily available?! </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>The moment they stepped out into what should have been the main section of the maze, Siebren couldn't help but stare in dismay. The area had been near-levelled. Certainly, one could still stay within the maze…but was it truly as fun when you could see all of the other maze-goers? Well, those that stuck about. Most were fleeing due to the massive fight currently happening in the middle of the corn field, a man with a pumpkin head and another with a serial-killer-esque costume swinging fists at each other as children shrieked and ran away. Across the maze, an actual explosion sounded and rocked the ground, a mass of…something flung in the air. Two men bolted around the corner from it, visible through the hewn maze walls, clearly responsible.</p>
<p>This wasn't what they'd planned. Siebren, turned to Reinhardt, who sighed sadly and crossed his arms. No. No, this would not do. They were going to have a good night and this would not do! Not to mention, the utmost chaos was dangerous and, if this were not put to a stop now, someone might get hurt. A <em>child</em> might get hurt. Verdorie!</p>
<p>With a growl, Siebren reached out with his mind and pushed himself up into the air, arms outstretched and feet dangling. One hand plucked the exploded mass right out of the air and flung it out towards the Festival pumpkin patch. The other lifted the two bolting men up and flung them off into a hay stack outside the maze's perimeter. Finally, the two combatants, who had ceased their activities and were now staring up at him, were dealt with two-handedly.</p>
<p>"I will not allow you to ruin everyone's Halloween to sate your own gluttony for punishment." Sigma snarled, lifting them in the air. "We are trying to have a nice evening- so take your shenanigans elsewhere!" A push sent them flying up and away, both landing just next to the exit of the maze in a gaggle of limbs.</p>
<p>There. Finally, quiet again. Siebren set himself back down, huffing, and realized after a moment that Reinhardt was staring his way. Oh. Uh…had he misunderstood the situation? This-</p>
<p>Reinhardt pulled him into a hug, laughing. "They got what was coming to them! My hero."</p>
<p>Oh! Good. He hadn't misread it after all. Awkwardly, Siebren patted the Crusader's back, a bit embarrassed. "I was afraid perhaps I did not analyze it all before reacting. I am glad that was to your liking." It had felt good to stand up for someone else, for…himself for once. </p>
<p>"No, no! You did well, I think. Though…I do wonder about the two that went over the wall? The one looked like Baptiste, one of our own. I hope they landed somewhere soft?" Reinhardt laughed, looking a bit awkward too. "That first one looked like something of Gabriel's creation, so I think that was perhaps the right call as well." What it had been was beyond him, but…the night was so quiet and calm now. </p>
<p>"Perhaps we might make it conquer this maze after all. " The kids had stopped screaming and were frolicking about the maze happily, one picking up a long-bladed tool from the ground and swinging it. Reinhardt snorted. "Though perhaps we ought to get the weapons out of the hands of literal children first. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"GAH!" Jamison was yanked out of his original trajectory and sent on an unknown collision course, his fall sending pumpkin splatter on all sides. A veritable cloud of blobs fell from the sky with him, detaching in time to not be squashed but not in enough time to keep from hitting the ground. Multiple squeaks began to sound in distress, pulling Junkrat from his daze just long enough to slur, "That'll teach ya to mess with Jamison Fawkes, ya- ya-"</p>
<p>Oh. They looked scared again. Ugh. "Why'd you go after me anyway?" What had been the point of it all?</p>
<p>"Dieeee…" one mournfully wailed.</p>
<p>If Reaper was trying to take down the maze, maybe these critters were meant to take it down with him…and maybe anybody inside that was helping defend it? That would make sense. They'd only latched onto him, so far as he knew, and no one else…. </p>
<p><em>'Squeak?'</em> A blob rolled up on top of Jamison's stomach and under the hand he'd had lain across it. Huh? Oh- this must be roly-poly number one. Still though! They'd tried to eat him and- and…huh. It wasn't fair they were so dang cute.</p>
<p>"Y'kinda look like big…beans, y'know?" Reaper beans? Rebeans? Reap-beans? Hey, yeah! That worked! "Reap-beans. Yeah. That sounds right. A whole lotta bark but not much bite." Haha.</p>
<p>…Ugh. Jamison lifted his head only to set it right back down in disgust. He was covered in pumpkin guts and Reap-beans and only the latter were even remotely comfortable, despite earlier circumstances. Plus, he was gonna get an earful for setting off an explosion in the maze…. </p>
<p>"I don't rightly want to move. So if you lot wanna stay, I ain't gonna say no." Carefully patting Reap-bean number one, Jamison settled back into the muck and grumbled at the sky. Warmth began to shift around him, a moment passing before he realized that the Beans had snuggled right up to him in an organic sort of blanket. It was downright comfortable. Without much fanfare, Jamison, surrounded by his former miniature enemies, drifted right off into a nap.<br/>
--</p>
<p>The moment it hit the ground, Gabriel's pumpkin head gave a loud crunch and cracked apart in pieces. Before he could even comment, Jack landed right on top of him in a dogpile that sent the air fleeing from his chest along with what felt like a few internal organs. "HCK-"</p>
<p>Groaning, Jack barely looked up when footsteps sounded to their side, only pausing long enough to pull his own mask off and slump onto Gabriel's chest. Despite all the belts and buckles and bits and pieces strapped on, he'd fallen asleep in this position so many times in the past that it was, by far, the most relaxing moment of the night. Cheek pressed into the leather, he blinked upon seeing kids run up from all around. What-?</p>
<p>"The curse is broken! Look- look- the pumpkin's gone and there's a man inside! Stingy Jack can stop wandering now and help the Pumpkin King, right? Right, Jack?" The children crowded around, chattering to themselves and bombarding with questions.</p>
<p>"Guhhhh…" Gabriel finally managed to suck in some air, eyes flicking from one kid to another. As much as having the surveillance system crushed put a damper on festivities, having them all think the curse was broken was…yeah, okay. It was adorable. He could play along with that. "I suppose you could stay with me, wanderer. After all-" Gabe smirked. "-looks like you broke my curse."</p>
<p>"You…might have broken mine too." Jack snickered, unhooking the remains of his smashed, unlit turnip lantern from his belt and tossing it to the side. "Looks like we might be stuck with each other."</p>
<p>"Not too bad of a fate, honestly." They could call this year a tie, what with outside interference. Plus ah…perhaps he'd gotten a <em>bit</em> carried away. Maybe <em>just</em> a bit. But then again, hadn't they all? Gabriel took hold of Jack's shoulders, about to push him up, but raised an eyebrow at the sudden movement below. "Is that your ax or are you happy to see me?" He teased in Jack's ear.</p>
<p>"Can it be both? …But yeah, that's my ax." With a chuckle, Jack pulled himself to his feet, offering a hand up to Gabriel- and used that to literally scoop the former Pumpkin King off his feet. "Though I <em>am</em> happy to see you, Pumpkin King."</p>
<p>"Happy to see you too, cornball." Tucking his face up into Jack's neck, Gabriel settled into the hold and hummed contentedly. "Let's go home."</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"OOF!!" The cart shuddered, hay flying everywhere as the two men rocketed into the stack. The horse at the front startled, bolting out and down the nearby road, both occupants dazed and holding on for dear life. Veering off towards the cliffsides, the cart sped a little while further before the horse managed to loose itself, the haystack-laden attachment bouncing, after a tumble in the grass, to a halt.</p>
<p>Baptiste shoved himself up, the world spinning enough that he resolved to sit back down immediately. Reminder to self: figure out what he'd done to piss off Sigma and make it up to him later. His hands pressed into the grass, grounding his fingers in the dirt to remind himself which way was up.</p>
<p>"This isn't going how I expected it to."</p>
<p>Baptiste turned to look at Mauga, who was staring, frustrated, out to the sea not far over the cliff the cart had nearly dumped them over. Mauga's lips were pressed in a near-angry line, brow creased. "Why did you run?"</p>
<p>"I-" he'd just assumed in panic that his old mate was here to kill him. Was it possible that wasn't the case? "You'll have to be more specific." Baptiste tried to make light of it, snorting.</p>
<p>Much to his relief, Mauga snorted as well, shaking his head. "Here I travelled all this way to see you and we get stuck in the middle of a bunch of old Talon shitheads. Talk about reminiscing."</p>
<p>Actually, between Sigma and Reaper, he had a point. "Yeah. Not exactly our brightest moment."</p>
<p>"Nah."</p>
<p>The moon began peeking out over the water, stars glittering in the darkening sky. Hell, neither of them were going anywhere soon, so why not enjoy it? Baptiste laid back, arms cushioning his head, and watched the stars light up one by one. "You came to Gibraltar to see me?" </p>
<p>Silence fell, grass rustling in reply. After a moment, Mauga pulled himself up parallel to Baptiste's side and lay beside him, hair fanning out around his head in a halo that tickled one of Baptiste's elbows.  "After Talon fell, I managed to stay under the radar. It gave me time to think about what I wanted, where I wanted to be- given the choice-, and how I might be able to achieve it. When you left, there was a hole at my side that I never really wanted to fill- and I realized that maybe the point wasn't that you left, but that I didn't leave with you."</p>
<p><em>Oh.</em> What? "You wouldn't have wanted to leave back then." Baptiste pointed out.</p>
<p>"Maybe. But what was more important? Talon? Or having you beside me? Even then, I knew it was the latter. Just had trouble seeing it around trying to mash both together."</p>
<p>"Mm."</p>
<p>"But you weren't coming back to Talon. I knew that even before we came after you that first time. Just…seeing you made me feel alive again, you know? So I knew that, in the end, it doesn't really matter where I end up or how I get there- so long as I'm next to you, that's all that matters."</p>
<p>Baptiste let out a long exhale. He'd dropped the idea of ever getting to reconnect with his friends from before, especially Mauga (given his loyalty to Talon and their shared past of being just a bit more than friends), but now- now that there was hope of possible reconciliation, he couldn't help the swelling of his heart that pounded into his lungs. "What if I'm here with Overwatch?"</p>
<p>Mauga hummed, shrugging enough in the ground that Baptiste could feel it without having to look over. "Then I suppose I need to ask Overwatch if they have any vacancies."</p>
<p>Seriously?! …Best to not get his hopes up. "And if they do not?"</p>
<p>"Guess that depends on if you want me around." </p>
<p>"I do! I-" well, there went his mouth. Baptiste huffed and looked away. "I'm just not interested in being a part of something like Talon again. I want to help people."</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>Okay? That was it?</p>
<p>"So…show me how to do that."</p>
<p>Baptiste rolled to his side, fully aware of Sombra's shrieking voice in the back of his head at the grass stains he was surely getting all over the custom costume. "I suppose. You up for a learning curve?" It would take a while to re-learn how to trust Mauga again, but…the request seemed genuine and sincere. If he still knew one thing about Mauga, it was that the man usually said what he meant from the start and stuck by it.</p>
<p>"Yeah." The hulk of the man turned, giving him a wry grin in the moonlight. Mauga bumped their noses- before his eyes flicked down. "…You got something in your mouth there?"</p>
<p>UGH those damn TEETH! Baptiste reached up, grabbed the fake vampire teeth, and threw them over the cliff. "Nope."</p>
<p>"Baptiste, you criminal!" Mauga faked looking aghast, a sly look sneaking through. "Littering! What a bold statement."</p>
<p>"Bon effort." Baptiste deadpanned, swatting at the tattooed shoulder and laying back down into the grass.</p>
<p>"Eh. Worth a try." With little regard to how the jab had failed to get under his old mate's skin, Mauga settled back and shared in the silence as they gazed upwards.</p>
<p>…Funny, in a way, that as Islanders, they had reunited once more on an island (well…a peninsula. But who was counting?). Under the stars, Baptiste found himself hoping again that perhaps, this time, they might get it right. And perhaps…perhaps he could put in a word for Mauga with Overwatch. After all, the world could always use more heroes, right?<br/>
--</p>
<p>Remarkably, they did indeed get to finish the maze in peace. Reinhardt laughing uproariously as they reached the exit, only to see Jack dash off with Gabriel tucked into his chest. "This is the most memorable Hallow's Eve I've ever had, Siebren. Thank you."</p>
<p>"The pleasure is all mine." It had felt good to let off a little steam honestly. Siebren chuckled a bit, a bit of the tension fading as it became apparent that neither Morrison nor Reyes was put out at having been stopped by outside forces. "Though I do wonder where we might be able to store this where it might stay out of mischievous hands?" He nodded to the scythe Reinhardt held as easily as his hammer, slung easily over one shoulder.</p>
<p>…A few moments later, Ana Amari gave them both quite the amused look. "What on earth have you done with the Pumpkin King?"</p>
<p>"The children are all saying that the 'curse is broken', though I've no idea what they're talking about." Reinhardt said as innocently as only Reinhardt could, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he handed over the scythe. "It must be some sort of Halloween miracle?"</p>
<p>"And here I thought Jack and Gabriel were the troublemakers." Ana snickered, setting the weapon behind her and against the perimeter of corn stalks. "I'll take things over from here. Go on, the both of you." The next crowd of maze-goers stepped forward, the ghoul humming and turning back to weave her tale once again.</p>
<p>"Why am I getting the feeling she knows more than she is telling?" Siebren mused as they stepped away, the astrophysicist mulling over the oddly well-timed series of events.</p>
<p>"Ah- Ana was always the wisest of us all. It is possible she does know more on the situation, but I am not one to push her." As they approached the festival once more, Reinhardt eyed the pumpkin patch warily. No odd blob-monsters came forth, much to his relief (it was much easier to fight blob-monsters with hammer in hand, after all). Instead, his eye landed on the pumpkins themselves, his features crinkling in delight. "These remind me of the carving festivals back home. Oh, we'd carve pumpkins until our arms ached back in the day! I must show you someday!"</p>
<p>Show him? Did that- was he-? "Does this mean you will be taking me home then?" Siebren asked perhaps a bit slyly.</p>
<p>Reinhardt's bearded face flushed beet-red, the man sputtering for a moment before catching his wits. "I- only if you want to, of-of course!"</p>
<p>This man was so truly cute. Siebren barely hid his smile, instead ducking his head a bit and hoping his fly-away hair might hide his giddiness. "Only if you come back with me to celebrate the feast of Sint Maarten."</p>
<p>"Deal!" Had they just made plans a year out-?! Reinhardt snorted, face still red but now lit up with joy. "What is this wondrous feast you speak of?"</p>
<p>"On the 11th of November, children sing songs for candy. <em>Je snoep of je leven.</em> Your candy or your life. Impish devils, the Dutch children." Siebren chuckled. "Though I cannot claim to have grown out of such things myself."</p>
<p>Two sets of laughter lit the air. Caught in impulse, Reinhardt raised a hand and gently tilted Siebren's chin his way, pressing a kiss to the pale cheek. "That sounds utterly adorable. Of course I would love to go!"</p>
<p>Had he- had that- Siebren's mind stalled temporarily as he quickly analyzed, deconstructed, and confirmed that yes, he'd just been kissed. "Ah- of course! Though- uh- we- mm- we don't need to wait another year." Now if only his voice could tone down just a few decibels and perhaps lower in pitch, that would be lovely.</p>
<p>"We don't? Oh! Wait a moment. Are you inviting me to the Netherlands THIS year for this feast?" How would they even arrange that? Could they?! Oh, that would be such fun! Most importantly, Siebren appeared to have liked the gesture of affection. Reinhardt grinned so widely it hurt his face, but that surely would not stop him from smiling. "Come! We should arrange it over the craft beer we so surely deserve!"</p>
<p>Yes, Siebren thought to himself with the lanterns flickering joyously nearby, this would be a year to remember. He reached for Reinhardt's hand and found it, squeezing tightly. Wilhelm simultaneously anchored him to the ground and yet reminded him every day how freeing it could be to ignore the laws of gravity and soar. He received a squeeze back in return, eyes meeting under lantern-light, and they gently kissed in the entryway to the biergarten, both sets of feet leaving the ground for just a moment as they pressed close.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Leather hit the bed in their shared Gibraltan room on base. </p>
<p>"Nice scythe this year." Jack wrestled with the belts a bit, finally loosing them one by one as hands helped him out of his leather jacket and barely wearable shirt.</p>
<p>"Could say the same for your new costume. Thought you were going for the whole 'Immortal' shtick?" Gabriel poked at the bolts lining the pale collarbone. "Nice touch. If you were trying to impress me, consider me impressed." Sure, the red had looked good on him before- but the whole serial killer costume was a helluva twist. </p>
<p>With nimble fingers and bit of leverage, the bolts finally popped off and were unceremoniously flung off to the side. Jack mentally shrugged, knowing he could search for them later. "I know how you love your horror movies. Seemed fitting." And yes, he'd known it might distract Gabriel enough to give him an advantage as well.</p>
<p>"It fits you." The golden contacts still glowed in Jack's eyes, sending shivers up the former Pumpkin King's spine as he grinned mischievously. "You did all this for me? Oh, <em>husband.</em>"</p>
<p>"Mm."</p>
<p>"I might have waited in the corn a bit longer to admire your ass from afar in those lovely jeans."</p>
<p>Jack sputtered, laughing. "Now who's being forward?"</p>
<p>"Me. And while I'm being forward, perhaps a suggestion?"</p>
<p>Oh? "Shoot."</p>
<p>"Maybe this was a good way to bring closure for the maze."</p>
<p>WHAT! Jack stared. Gabriel never- he- what?!</p>
<p>"You know? I went all out, thinking it might be the last year, and…what if we just…I don't know. We've always talked about leaving Gibraltar and finding a little place of our own, just down the coast where we can still keep an eye on these troublemakers, and watch the waves come in together. You know…retire?" The words came softer and softer, trailing off on the last word.</p>
<p>As much as he wanted to say 'ha ha Gabe, very funny, great trick', this clearly was no trick. Gabe, for how youthful they'd both seemed in the maze tonight, was tired. Exhausted even, if those dark raccoon eyes under the costume make-up were real. They put their hearts and souls into the Halloween event every year and…yeah, didn't they deserve a break? Jack stared down, dumbstruck. Gabriel had always been against retirement, even back during the golden age of Overwatch. But now? "Yes."</p>
<p>The silence had lingered too long. Fighting to not shift too much under the weight of the golden stare, Gabe's mouth twitched. He'd put this off too long, hadn't he. Jack didn't want to retire anymore. He- uh. Yes? "Okay?"</p>
<p>"YES!" Jack shoved Gabe down into the sheets and kissed him silly, their make-up smearing against both faces. God, yes. Retire? Stop? Relax? Just them? No more Overwatch? Just THEM? HELL yes. </p>
<p>"MM- Jack-" Gabriel hooked a hand up around Jack's chin, reeling him in further, and looped both legs around the familiar waist. Maybe a curse had been broken after all, he reasoned silently, near-laughing at the thought. The Pumpkin King and Jack the Wanderer, settling down at last. As much as he loved Halloween and all of the shenanigans surrounding it, just dressing up and handing out candy sounded absolutely lovely. They'd both been through too much, sacrificed too much, to be killing themselves over doing something fun every year. That had been the point of this year, after all, the reason he'd gone all out. Between Ana and Sombra, they'd been able to grant more than one wish tonight. Now…he could rest. And hell, if they wanted him back another year (which he very much doubted once Winston realized his security tapes had been put on cycle by Sombra), all they'd have to do was ask. For now, he could celebrate the rest of Halloween in the place he most enjoyed it: in his husband's arms.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"Nn…huh?" Cold greeted him as he woke, Junkrat blinking as he realized he was still in the patch and surrounded by pumpkin guts. The reason for the chill became readily apparent as he looked down, all but one of the Reapbeans gone. The little one still with him mouthed at one of his fingers, as if it had been attempting to wake him, and squeaked.</p>
<p>"Junk!"</p>
<p>It-! His name-! It had- awwwwww. Jamison gave the blob a fond smile and pet its head, stroking gently. "Yeah, Squeaker, that's right. Good little bean."</p>
<p>The Reapbean cooed in his direction…and, without another word, popped into mist that trailed back off towards base, a semi-smoke wafting up before disappearing into the night. </p>
<p>All of this had been quite enough for one night. Surely, they didn't need him back at the maze after all that too. So…he was alone again. And yet…</p>
<p>Yeah. He could make this work. After all, if this whole Reapbean chaos had shown him anything, it was that scary didn't always mean dangerous- and that you were never as alone as you thought you were. </p>
<p>Dripping orange goo, Jamison lifted himself up, checked that his rubber nose was still in place (miraculously, it was) and grinned. Happy Halloween indeed.</p>
<p>Children shrieked in terror as he stepped out of the patch, Zombie Clown in full swing. He'd have a bit more fun before the night was through and then…next year, maybe he could convince them to try something completely new. A castle, perhaps? He could turn the training bots into zombies, swarming like the Reapbeans had, and- and-!</p>
<p>Next year. For now, the Clown would rise again and attempt to steal candy from those daring to get too close. Bahahaha!</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"Mmhm. Yes, everything went quite well, given the circumstances." Ana leaned on the scythe, back-end of the blade pressed into the dirt. "From my observations, no one is the wiser."</p>
<p>"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Sombra twirled in her chair, tapping to allow the security cams on the maze to come back into focus. A secondary picture showed Winston recoiling in horror, the ape bolting from the Command Center as words with Athena were apparently exchanged, the hacker grinning and sniggering. "I bet Mauga hasn't made a move yet, but he will. He'll come knocking at Overwatch's door, if everything goes to plan. He and Baps are way too into each other and way too oblivious to notice."</p>
<p>"I'll keep an eye on him and see that Winston hears him out." With a flick of her wrist, Ana swung the scythe playfully up and out, admiring the slice through the air. Not her style really, but certainly a fine piece of workmanship. "You think this has helped Reinhardt and Siebren as well?"</p>
<p>"Oh yeah. They're already making plans to go to the Netherlands in a week. They're so lovey-dovey already, heh." Sombra admired her pumpkin-art fingernail art momentarily before flicking to another screen. "Just needed a moment of danger and plan-ruining to push 'em in the right direction. Ah, and I found our Talon boys. They're stargazing."</p>
<p>"And Jamison?" That had been the one part of the plan she'd been wary of. Scaring a man known for his explosives was not necessarily smart.</p>
<p>"Well…turns out that the little wraith guys Reaper managed to make couldn't eat through anything so they were kinda useless when it came to destroying the corn stalks. So uh…ALL of them ended up on Fawkes, not just a few."</p>
<p>ALL?!</p>
<p>"But he's good! Gave him a fright- ha, and gave Baps and Mauga a fright too!- but he's off scaring kids now next to the Festival. No harm done."</p>
<p>They'd gotten lucky this year. Hopefully, they could get Jamison more involved next year to the point where they might be able to convince him to ditch the explosives for the night entirely. No promises, of course, but perhaps a more leading role might help? Gabriel had mentioned possibly hanging up the pumpkin, after all. With Junkrat's antics, it could be a completely different ball game next year. Gibraltar would be in for quite the trick or treat. Ana chuckled. "Happy Halloween, Sombra. Oh, and I quite enjoyed the spook you gave Gabriel and Jack through Siebren. They had that coming in spades."</p>
<p>"My pleasure. Always fun to pull one over on the Reaper." Sombra snickered, leaning back in her chair, her hand digging into a bowl of sugar skulls. She could partake a liiiiittle early, right? She was gonna sleep through the first part of the day anyway, what with all this stuff happening half a world away in Gibraltar. "Look, I'm gonna go get some sleep, but just call me if anything else good comes up, yeah?"</p>
<p>"Oh, I will. Happy early Día de Muertos, Olivia."</p>
<p>"Hmph. Yeah, thanks." They'd been in touch enough over the past few months. Sombra supposed with a sigh that if anyone had earned a right to that name besides Gabe, it was Captain Ana Amari. "Night Cap."</p>
<p>"Good night. Oh, and-" Ana's mask lit up, glowing eerily in the dark once more. "Happy Halloween." The line cut off and she hid the scythe within the corn, pulling out her biotic rifle instead. Just one more thread to follow up on- then, she could head to the Festival herself. Winston was moments away from closing the maze, the gorilla already on sight and explaining to folks that the maze was torn up too much for further traffic, so it left her plenty of time to slink into the darkness, leaving not even a footprint in her wake.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Jamison leaned against one of the abandoned booths, stuffing his face with candy he'd managed to snag. The haul had been glorious! So many different kinds and flavors-</p>
<p>Uh. What was that? Eyes shifted to the his left, towards the dark of a rock outcropping. Nothing there. Weird. Another Milky Way, then-</p>
<p>SNAP.</p>
<p>Okay, he HADN'T dreamed that one. The broken twig sat only a few meters away, Jamison staring in renewed fright upon realizing a perpetrator was nowhere in sight. Hadn't once been enough?! This seemed bigger than a Reapbean though! Head swinging to and fro, candy held to his chest, heart pounding, Junkrat peered around the side of the booth-</p>
<p>"You look tired."</p>
<p>"YAAAAAH-!" Something jabby hit his arm and the rest was history, Jamison hitting the ground as eloquently as a sack, vision blurring. But there, nearby- what was that?!</p>
<p>Out of the darkness, ghoul eyes glowed. "Take your medicine." Pumpkin bucket held high, candy dropped like rain on the Junker's face. "And next time, take care to not set off explosives in the corn maze or steal candy from children."</p>
<p>With an almost-wink from a ghostly eye, Ana Amari high-tailed it away with biotic rifle slung over her shoulder and the empty candy bucket around one wrist. One last trick of the night. Now- she could have her treat. Perhaps a caramel apple to start? Mm…yes.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>As Jamison slept, covered in candy and with a syringe sticking out of one arm, his dreams took an odd turn. When he finally woke, sticky for all the wrong reasons, grumbling over the punishment for the explosion but appreciating the extra candy, the last few details fell into place from a story he'd heard not two weeks prior.</p>
<p>
  <em>Our tale begins in Adlersbrunn, where the lord of the castle has called for heroes to come to his aid, and defend him against the mad Dr. Junkenstein. Only four they were to defend the castle against Dr. Junkenstein and his minions. The Reaper fell; the enchanted pumpkin where his head ought to have been smashed against the flagstones. The night was quiet, and the castle was safe.</em>
</p>
<p>Oh yeah. Next year was gonna be EPIC.</p>
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